COST Endorsements
In 2014 seven (7) of the eight(8) candidates endorsed by COST were elected to office.
A COST endorsement does not mean that a candidate agrees with every position held by COST or its members. It simply means that, after reviewing the candidate's responses and meeting with them, we believe they recognize that Owen Sound needs a new direction and have demonstrated ideas, leadership and a willingness to challenge the status quo.
We fully expect that not all endorsed candidates will agree on the changes needed to turn things around. We expect that they will each bring their own ideas to the table. However we do expect endorsed candidates to have advanced listening skills to enable them to truly listen to all new ideas tabled and most importantly, we expect candidates to have the ability to work together and build concensus on the issues holding us back.
Lively debate is important - personal attacks are destructive!
Personal attacks on those who you disagree with will most surely destroy the healthy, collaborative enviornment we need around the Council Table to aolve Owen Sound's problems.
An endorsement ends with the election.
Once the election is over, COST will not have any policy-related communication channel with endorsed councillors, nor will we seek to direct how they vote or attempt to use an endorsement to gain political influence.
Once elected, councillors are accountable to all of the residents of Owen Sound, not to COST.